Yesterday's Tomorrow
by TheSkivate'sTheLimitNattyyyyyy
Summary: Everything was lost. Plankton won and Spongebob was gone forever, and the worst part is...I never got to tell him how I really felt about him... Rated T for major character death and violence. SpongeBob/Sandy fic.
1. Prologue

_**I DON'T OWN SPONGEBOB. I HAD THIS IDEA FOR A WHILE AND WANTED TO GO AHEAD WITH IT. HOPE IT'S LIKED. **_

_**-Natty**_

* * *

I stared solemnly, ahead of me at the ruin, the debris and rubble. I stared at what was once known as Bikini Bottom, a carefree and happy place where sea critters once roamed freely and in peaceful harmony. Until that day came, that fateful day, that unholy day that everything changed. One would have thought it was the apocalypse if one hadn't known better. Buildings falling, crumbling, dust and dirt scattered everywhere. The sand and gravel flying up into driver's eyes, blinding them which only caused more mayhem. Cars crashing left and right, families and friends trying to flee, brothers and sisters screaming for if not their lives then the life of their sibling. That day would live in history as the last day of our world.

And that didn't even scratch the surface of what happened on this day. On this day, we lost an individual, perhaps even more important than the hundreds of lives lost on this one day and many more to come.

The chaos didn't start solely on this day. The madness started days before this, possibly a week. No one expected this, and it's my shame that makes me think that everyone should have saw this coming. It is only so long that something lasts, and it is but so long until a plan is formed and ready. Bikini Bottom, these creatures, _we _weren't ready. Ready…none of us were ready.

The day Plankton took over was the day our inferno began. It was like a flame, lighting itself slowly, and this was seen, but then the flame blew up, igniting everything in its path and destroying it with a sick sense of easiness, almost _too _darn easy.

Bikini Bottom was no more. It was now a gravesite of what once was here. But now, here lay Planktopolis. I used to love this city, with its blue skies, and everyone I've come to know here. Creatures used to laugh and littler creatures used to play and go to school to learn. The little shops and the Lagoon, that beautiful underwater beach where everyone hung out and played and just came to have a good time. I have a lot of memories of that place. Now that I look back on it, I should have had so many more. I didn't spend most of my time on what mattered most, my friends, the ones I thought of as family. Shoot, they WERE my family. I don't have anyone else here but those guys.

Things were scattered now. I haven't even seen half of my friends for a while. I know where they are, or more likely where they're hiding out. You had to be careful here around these parts. If you knew what was good for you, you'd stay off of the streets. They were almost deserted, and I watched a tumble weed roll by in the distance. It was a dead silence, save for the patrolling jellyfish, the sounds of painful zaps and cries of terror, always of suffering.

Then there was the whistle that our downfall couldn't have been possible without. The control whistle, the one that spoke commands and instructions of punishment. Ones that most certainly ended in death, and that was if you were lucky.

The only real commotion came from the middle of town, at the square, where fish were forced to gather to watch horrific sentences and torture. This was a new and gruesome version of a civil trial. When you were charged with a crime, no matter how small it was, you were horribly punished. You were led, and if you were brave enough to resist, you were _forced _to the center of the square, where you were beaten. Whipped or electrocuted until you begged for mercy or in most cases, your own death.

One of these events were taking place as I thought, so I walked forward, closer to the center so I could see who was getting it and if it was anyone I knew. No one cared about each other anymore. It was natural selection at this point, and only the wisest would be able to survive. It was survival of the fittest, at least for everyone else, except me. I would be fairly easy to kill. You probably wouldn't think so, but I'm powerless to do anything because of an agreement I would have done anything to stop.

A whip cracked against flesh and I could see the blood fly up and mix with the water of the ocean. It diminished soon and disappeared, seconds later a zap occurred and another moan of pain echoed. The old, short fish, lay shaking on the sea floor. "But...its my birthday..." He coughed weakly. His glasses broken on his face, clothes torn and ripped and his walker laid a few feet away from him. It was a ghastly scene.

The surrounding fish could only watch, with wide eyes and fear for if they so much as blinked wrong then they'd get the same fate as the fallen fish before them. The crowd gasped as the abuse continued, parents covering their children's eyes and women shielding their own pupils from the crude sight. Some fish cringed while others turned away, one of them to throw up, not thinking he could take anymore as he tried to run away. He was stopped immediately, being whipped across his back, groaning as he fell to his knees, tears welding in his eyes as a jellyfish hovered down to electrocute him from behind. The sounds of all these things both bothering and sickening to me as I even struggled to keep my stomach acid down. There wasn't much food anymore, but I was allowed food more than others. Everyone else was forced to eat Chum by law.

I was hated in this town now. I recalled that now as fish started to look at me, giving me angry and accusing glares. They all thought this was my fault, and I admit that in a way it was. I was blind and foolish. I didn't know what was happening right behind my back.

More hate filled eyes turned to me, even children had taken to mimicking their parent's icy glare at me. Soon it seemed like everyone was looking at me in pure detestation.

The most horrible of the sounds ceased in existence, the laughter. Plankton stopped laughing and turned. "Hey! Where's the fire? You are ALL supposed to be watching my display of public humiliation! What are all of you- Oh…" He looked at me, and smiled.

He made me sick, and he knew he did, that was why he stared me down the way he did, mocking me, mocking everything he's done up to this point.

"Well if it isn't dear old Sandy Cheeks! What are you doing up and about so early in the AM, huh?" Plankton said, standing smugly on top of the desktop of his computer wife. I don't know how she was okay with this, with all of this. We've spoken before and she was a pretty swell gal. Now, since she was with him, on his side, I hated her just as much. Her screen's expression was blank of emotion, just a flat line and oddly she didn't speak. She hasn't spoken since he's taken over, I think. In fact, now that I think about it, she hasn't spoken before then either, for weeks even. I couldn't remember the last time I heard Karen spoke a witty remark or so much as sighed in dismay at her microscopic husband. I looked at her and her screen turned to me. Her straight line blinked and then nothing. Well fine, I turned my nose up at her too. She could be that way. I hope she was happy with this, with all if this. And if this thing ever blew over, I'd make sure that I shut her down permanently and if computers could feel pain, then it would be painful for sure. How could she stand by Plankton as all of this was happening? How could she still love him or even be bothered with him after this? It both puzzled and angered me greatly. I swore to my friend that I'd get back at both of them.

I despised the teeny organism, with every fiber of my being. I glared at his smirk and some fish in the crowd mumbled of my foolish bravery. Trust is, I wasn't scared of this pipsqueak! Not a bit! And I'd do something about it over and over again! …If only I could…

Plankton looked down at his small little wrist, and if I squinted I could have clearly seen a tiny watch on one of his stubby little arms. "It's ten o'clock sharp. Shouldn't you be enjoying the buffet along with the other heroes of this town that helped me rise to victory?"

I couldn't take it anymore. I prayed an apology to the land above us and spoke back to him, for the first time in weeks. "I didn't help you rise to anything, and you think that then you're even crazy'er than monkeys in a-"

"-in a barrel filled with clam juice. I think I heard you the first time, airhead!" Plankton finished my sentence, gesturing to my suit. This was one of the reasons I couldn't fight against his reign the way I wanted to. If my suit got scratched or punctured, or even torn, if my helmet cracked or shattered then I was a goner. It was one of the many reasons why Spongebob didn't let me take action in the first place. Maybe if I had then things would have been different, much different than how they were now.

I fought back still, because at this point I didn't care if they whipped me to silence me. Let them. I'd rather die than live this way, with regret and what if's and why didn't's. "And I'm no hero! Neither are you! You disposed of our _real _hero, and why'd ya do that?" I asked and answered "You were scared, because if ya di'nt get rid of him then it'd be the end of your hardnosed reign of tyranny, barnacle!" I smirked to myself, because I knew I had him. He had to admit it now, in front of everyone, he was caught and there was nothing he could do about it!

"Shouldn't you be meeting some friends or something somewhere?" Plankton asked, his evil grin wide.

My mouth was gaped open wide as I backed away fearfully. Everyone watched, unknowingly, but I knew what he meant, and so did he. I had to keep biting my tongue and I had to keep standing down to him. It wasn't just for my own life anymore, now that of my friends remained in the balance. He was threatening them! Before I ran away, I told him one more thing, something definite. "We'll stop ya…Somehow we'll stop ya! And when we do…you're going to _PAY_...for everything you did to us critters!" I scolded and turned to leave. A stranger in a brown cloak stood in my path. I looked at them curiously before running past them, far away and as fast as I could into the suburban part of town.

We lost a hero that day, perhaps the only one that could stop this, stop this hell from burning its fire. To stop the rule of an evil ruler, a dictator, a villain of sorts. I lost a best friend, a partner, someone who was like _family _to me.

Spongebob, if you could read my thoughts up there, we need you now more than ever, and now that you're gone, even more than that. You were the only one who could stop Plankton, and it killed me to see you go. We need you. Bikini Bottom needs you…and…_I _need you.

I'm so sorry Spongebob…

…For everything…


	2. Today

_**[THREE MONTHS EARLIER]**_

"Isn't this great Gare? Another beeeautiful, Sunday morning! …And do you remember what happens on Sundays?"

"Meow."

"Don't be silly Gary! Squidward got hit by that flying ice cream truck last week!" SpongeBob smiled it off. "We have sundaes on Sunday, remember Gary?"

"Meow." Gary responded, uninterested. He didn't understand his owner, nor his odd sundae methods. Sometimes he wished the sponge would just go away and never come back. It was too early for this! So the snail slithered away. It went in the living room to sit on the big comfy chair in there.

SpongeBob followed him confusedly. Where was Gary going? Didn't he want a sundae? "Gary? Where are you going pal? Don't you want a-" The sponge stopped, standing in the doorway. He blinked at the snail.

Gary gave an animalistic laugh, and a part of his skin extended like a hand and banged on the arm of the couch hysterically. The show was just TOO funny!

"Oh…" SpongeBob said, disappointed with this turn of events. He looked down and solemnly walked back into the kitchen. Gary had been distant lately, but whatever. He guessed it really didn't matter. Maybe Gary just didn't feel well or something. Yeah, maybe his pet wasn't feeling well.

The sponge smiled at the truth in it, because, since he figured that that was the only possibility, he believed it very easily. It wasn't that his pet didn't like him anymore, it was just a stomach ache or a cold or the flu or an untied shoe lace or something.

SpongeBob hummed, smiling, his eyes closed as he went through his refrigerator. He scrunched his face and frowned, it seemed he was having trouble getting supplies. He didn't think of opening his eyes though, so he reached around with much difficulty to find the ingredients he needed for his sundae. "I knew I bought peanuts earlier this week…" The sponge said to himself as he reached his hand around, successfully knocking over a bottle of ketchup. His hand brushed over a few items, including a can of normal peanut brittle, a jar of mayonnaise, some jellyfish jelly, and a half eaten horribly green and toxic looking Krabby Patty. He knocked over most of the things on the shelves, each item making overly exaggerated noises as they either tipped over or toppled. One of the noises happened to be the sound of a deathly explosion.

Finally SpongeBob closed his fingers around something that felt useful. "Oop! There's the peanut brittle!" He laughed and pulled it out, banging his head on the door before closing it. He rubbed it and then made his way over to the counter.

The sponge felt around for the blender, finding it, he opened the can of the novelty peanut brittle. Colorful springy paper flew out and went everywhere. He shrugged and walked back to the refrigerator, still smiling. "Everything is funner when you can't see." SpongeBob said and then ran face first into the fridge. "Well…" He groaned and opened his eyes. "Most things…"

SpongeBob took the door handle in his hand and opened the refrigerator door. He grimaced at the mess inside. Jelly was dripping off the shelves and the Krabby Patty blinked at him. He glared as he grabbed the milk carton. "Some people are such slobs! It's unbelievable! It's like people can't even-"

RIIIIIIIIIING…!

"Oh. Who can that be?" SpongeBob asked, as he poured the milk into the blender, along with some cocoa powder that was actually dirt and these little grub things. He picked up the nearby phone and put it to his ear. "Squarepants residence, SpongeBob speaking….Oh, hey dad! …What's up? …Oh…that's cool…uh huh…yep…uh huh…Ooh! I taught Patrick this really cool trick the other day and- Oh, I'll tell you another time then…Me? Oh, I'm doing nothing, just making a sundae as all…uh huh…uh huh…uh huh…So why'd you call?" SpongeBob asked eagerly, simultaneously grabbing the top to the blender. He then looked concerned. "…And why is mom crying in the background?" SpongeBob nodded and placed the top on the blender, getting ready to press the button. "Oh dad, grandma's not that old! …Well if you know that, why did you ask? You aren't really making any sense to me…Look, whatever you're gonna say, just say it, because I have a lot of stuff to-"

BRRRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!

SpongeBob activated the blender midsentence and his happy expression took a sky dive. He stopped the blender, taking the pitcher part of the blender off to hold in his hand. He blinked. "Wait...could you repeat that…? …I- I really don't think I heard you right…"

"Son…" His dad started. "Grandma passed away last night…"

"She…She did?"

"Yes, son. Now your mother wanted to tell you in person but I know you're not a baby anymore and I know that you're a grown boy now and I think you can handle the-"

"So what hospital is she in? I want to stop by and bring her over some things, maybe read her a story or two. She could use the company, right?" SpongeBob smiled as he added a few pieces of chocolate to his smoothie- wait, wasn't he supposed to be making a sundae? Well, ice cream was ice cream he supposed. It didn't make a difference how you ate it…

His father was at a loss for words on the other line of the phone. "Hospital?"

"Yeah, if she passed out then she must have went to the hospital right?" SpongeBob reasoned. "So which one is she in? Obviously I'd want to visit her, dad, she _is _my grandma and all, you know…"

"Yes I know, but- Son, grandma didn't _pass out_ she _passed away._"

"Well, what's the difference?"

Mr. Squarepants held the phone to his ear or whatever was close to an ear on his crater covered spongy body, quite dumbfounded. He didn't know what to say or what he even _could_ say. "Bobby?"

"Yeah, dad?" SpongeBob put his hand on his hip and shifted his hand holding the phone, bringing it somehow closer to his head.

"I'll see you soon."

"Where are you going?"

"I have to go speak to your mother about something- We'll…We'll be away for a few days and we want you not to worry about anything and stay home and don't answer any calls from any relatives. Do you understand that, son?"

"Uh…yeah, I guess but where are you go-"

"Canada!"

SpongeBob blinked as the line cut off and the dial tone came directly after. He shrugged and set down the phone. "Well, that was weird…"

"Meow."

"Oh! There you are, Gary! You scared me for a second there." SpongeBob said and picked up a spare laundry basket.

Gary slid along the floor, following his owner down to the basement and hopping down the stairs. The sponge whistled contently as he opened the dryer, taking out multiple amounts of steaming square pants.

"Meow?"

"What? Oh, that was just dad. He said that grandma passed away or something like that… I'm sure it's fine." SpongeBob waved it off with a flick of the wrist, head still in the dryer.

"Meow!"

"Why should I be concerned, Gare? Grandma's passed out before and she was fine. There's absolutely nothing to be worried about…At least I don't think so, anyway."

"Meow…" Gary urged.

SpongeBob stood with the basket on his hip, somewhat irritated. "Look, there's nothing to be concerned about! I wish you'd stop already, sheesh! I said there was nothing to worry about, so why worry?"

The snail sighed in defeat and watched as his owner started up the stairs again.

"Do me a favor and take my shirts out when they're done, okay Gare?"

"Meow."

"Thanks! And when you're done we can both set up for Modopoly Monday tomorrow. Da-a-a-ay-a-a-a-ay!" SpongeBob laughed. "Doesn't that sound like fun? I know _I _can't wait!"

Gary watched the basement door close after the sponge and concluded that he would be staying down here for a while, so with a snail-like snicker he reset the washer and picked up a magazine.

Back upstairs, SpongeBob tossed the laundry basket full of clothes to the side and dusted off his hands. He looked around for something else to do to keep himself occupied. It was too bad Mr. Krabs started making him take his weekends off, but with a lot of begging and pleading and crying and basically throwing the biggest tantrum ever along with an attempted picket sign protest and musical number, he was able to get his boss to agree to let him come in on Saturdays without pay. Man, did he have the best boss or what? Mr. Krabs was the best! He even got a raise! Mr. Krabs _did _always say that a penny was worth a thousand coins smaller than a penny! …Or something like that. Was there even a coin smaller than a penny?

There probably was, because there was no way Mr. Krabs would lie to him! He loved his job, he also loved Squidward, very much. They were such great friends! Which reminded him…

"HEY SQUIDWARD?" SpongeBob called out his window.

"_WHADD'YA WANT?"_

"I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT I LOVE YOU!"

"_I HATE YOU TOO!"_

"OKAY, SEE YA LATER!" The sponge smiled and brought his head back into his pineapple, closing the window back. "That Squidward…What a great guy." He said and hummed his way over to the living room.

SpongeBob was just sitting down in his chair when the doorbell rang. He got up and ran like a football player to it. "I'LLLLLLLL GET ITTTTTTTTTTTT!" After slamming into the door face first, dazed, he opened it.

"Howdy!" Sandy Cheeks waved, looking quite chipper for a squirrel underwater. Other squirrels wouldn't be nearly as pleased.

"Hey Sandy! What's shaking?"

"Oh nothin'. I was wonderin' if you wanted to come have lunch with me, that is if ya ain't busy and all…"

"Of course I'll have lunch with you!"

"Really?"

"Yeah! You're only _the _best squirrel in the world! Who _wouldn't _want to have lunch with you?"

"Aww shucks, SpongeBob…That's real sweet of ya, but I doubt you done met every darn dang squirrel in the entire world."

"I don't have to." SpongeBob smiled at her. "I already know that you're the best of them all! Why waste time with others when I have you?"

"Gee…I don't know what to say. Thanks." Sandy blushed and looked away from those big blue eyes of his.

"No problem." The sponge said, starting to leave the house. "Oh wait, hang on, I have to tell Gary goodbye."

"Go ahead, I'll be right here waitin' for ya."

"Thanks Sandy, this'll only take a moment." SpongeBob assured her and then cleared his throat. "HEY GARY, SANDY AND I ARE GONNA GO HAVE LUNCH AT- _where are we going again?_"

"Uh." Sandy blinked, her ears still ringing. "The Krusty Krab."

"_Thanks Sandy- _WE'RE GONNA GO HAVE LUNCH AT THE KRUSTY KRAB, WILL YOU BE ALRIGHT HERE BY YOURSELF?"

"_Meow!"_

"ALRIGHT, SEE YA LATER GARE BEAR. YOU BE GOOD, I'LL GET SQUIDWARD TO COME IN AND CHECK ON YA."

"_I WILL DO NO SUCH THING!" _Squidward yelled from his house, out of sight.

SpongeBob eased the door shut. "BYE!" He called and then turned to Sandy. "Welp! I'm all yours!"

Sandy laughed. "That's great!"

"Yeah." SpongeBob agreed.

The two started to walk.

"So how ya been?" Sandy broke the silence they were already slipping into.

"I'm alright, maybe a little worried but I don't want to ruin our lunch by talking about it."

"You wouldn't ruin nothin', SpongeBob. You could tell me anything and I wouldn't say no different."

"Well…Okay…" SpongeBob surrendered. "I guess I'm just a little worried about my grandma, but I know I shouldn't be. She's fine."

"Well why would ya have any doubts that she ain't?"

"My dad called and said she passed away the other day, but it's not like this hasn't happened before. She passes away all the time and she's fine then. What would be so different now?"

Sandy frowned, and gulped. Her throat suddenly ran dry with a suspicious worry for her yellow friend. "I think there's a misunderstandin' in here somewhere."

"What do you mean, Sandy?"

"Well…" The squirrel started. "You said she passed away, right?"

"Yeah. Friday night to be exact."

"Um…SpongeBob?"

"What? What's the matter?" SpongeBob asked, confused and blinking.

"D-Do you know what it means when someone passes away?"

"Of course I do, Sandy. I'm not an idiot. It means she fainted and she's in the hospital. Duh."

"You mean she _passed out_ then."

"Yeah."

"Oh thank Neptune…" Sandy sighed and could finally smile again. "You had me worried. I thought you said she passed away. I was aboutta say-"

"Passed away." SpongeBob confirmed. "That's what my dad said."

"You mean passed out."

"What's the difference?"

Sandy blinked and stopped walking. "Uh…"

"Sandy?" SpongeBob stopped walking too and looked at her for an answer.

She sighed. "SpongeBob, what exactly did your dad say to you?"

"I told you!" SpongeBob glared. "That grandma passed away! I don't get what the big deal is! Why is everyone so upset over it? She's fine! She's probably in a hosp-"

"Your grandma ain't in the hospital."

"She's not?"

"No." Sandy hated to be the one to do this, but she knew that coming from anyone else it would only be worse. "SpongeBob, I'm real sorry but…there's a huge difference between passed out and passed away. Passing out is when you close your eyes and get up later on."

"Yeah? So?"

"So if that's what passing out is…then passing away…"

"Oh…I think I get it now…" SpongeBob nodded and accepted the arm being wrapped around him.

"I'm real sorry, SpongeBob."

"Me too…Hey, do you mind if I make a quick phone call?"

"Of course not. Go ahead, I'll be right here if ya need me."

"Thanks Sandy…" The sponge murmured and walked back to his house.

It didn't take long because they really hadn't walked all that far. So it only took him a few moments to get to his phone and dial the numbers. Then a voice was on the other line and the words left him, dull like led.

"Grandma's dead, isn't she?"


End file.
